New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea has been shut down for a few weeks due to a right oblique strain and will likely start the season on the injured list, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters Monday.
Manaea, who is projected as the team's No. 2 starter, went 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA with 184 strikeouts with the Mets in 2024, leading to a three-year, $75 million deal in December.
"The good news is ... the tendon is not involved, the rib cage is not involved," Mendoza said of the MRI results for Manaea. "It's just straight muscle, so he's going to be shut down for a couple of weeks -- and then we'll reassess after that. We've got to build him back up again. Safe to say that he's probably going to start the season on the IL. ... Once he's symptom-free, he'll start his throwing."
It is the second injury to the Mets' starting rotation after right-hander Frankie Montas was shut down for six to eight weeks on Feb. 17 after suffering a high-grade lat strain.
Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes and David Peterson are set to top the Mets' starting rotation to begin the season. Paul Blackburn, Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill will compete for the final two spots until Manaea and Montas return.
The Mets have also lost reserve infielder Nick Madrigal for an extended period after he suffered a fractured left shoulder during Sunday's spring training game against the Washington Nationals.
Madrigal, who is fighting for a roster spot, fell to the ground while throwing to first base after making a bare-handed play on a ground ball. He was originally diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder but further tests revealed the fracture in his non-throwing shoulder.
Mendoza told reporters that Madrigal, who signed a one-year deal with the Mets in January, will have a CT scan and will be sidelined "for a long time."
Field Level Media contributed to this report.